Allergy UK Responds to NHS England Abolition: An Opportunity to Prioritise Allergy Care

In a move to tackle the ongoing crisis within the National Health Service (NHS), Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced this week the abolition of NHS England. The reorganisation will bring NHS England “back into democratic control” and under the DHSC with the objective to also eliminate unnecessary duplication in roles which currently exist between the agency and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC

In his speech in the House of Commons, Health Secretary Wes Streeting stressed the urgent need for reform to deliver better value for taxpayers and improved services for patients.

Over the next two years, NHS England’s functions will be gradually integrated into the DHSC, with a key focus on cutting waiting times, managing finances more effectively, and improving procurement processes. To lead this transformation, Sir James Mackey has been appointed as Chief Executive of the NHS.

Simone Miles, CEO Allergy UK say, “We await more details on what the abolition of NHS England means for allergy care and services with interest.  Waiting lists are big a problem for the allergy community, with many allergy patients currently face wait times of up to 18 months to access specialist care.  Allergy UK has been campaigning for nearly two years for more community-based allergy specialists within primary care as we know this approach reduces the need for referrals and waiting times by up to 95%. We strongly urge the government to consider proposals which mitigate the need for referrals and therefore the need for waiting lists with long waiting times for people living with allergies.  This is a health condition which affects 1 in 3 people in the UK and more needs to be done to ensure the allergy community receives timely and effective care.”

A key priority for Allergy UK has been the integration of specialist allergy nurses and dietitians into primary care settings. Informed on the success of our research project with the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian, which trialled a nurse led clinic in a primary care setting.  This proved to be both feasible and effective. It significantly improved access to care and reduced wait times from 6–18 months to just 4–8 weeks. The pilot also demonstrated the benefits of integrating a paediatric specialist allergy dietitian, enhancing food allergy management. Notably, the model reduced specialist referrals by 95%, alleviating pressure on NHS services and ensuring patients received timely, effective care within their community.

Allergy UK will continue to engage with key stakeholders and government to advocate for a more structured and consistent approach to allergy care within the reformed NHS that is cost positive and improves the lives of those living with allergy.